I had hoped to get this posted earlier today because many events have been underway, at least in this area, for quite awhile. Yet since there are a few more hours left until dark and the real shows are beginning, I decided it was still worth the post. Obviously I will not manage to catch every town. But here are some of the larger celebrations happening across Nebraska today, tomorrow and the rest of this week-end!

Blow up the balloons! Throw the confetti! Drape the streamers!”Odyssey Through Nebraska” is exactly one year old today.

When I started this blog last July, I had no idea how much this would change my life and also the lives of my family. While there have been a few bumps in the road, overall I have definitely enjoyed the journey. Thank you for being a part of this path with me!

Don’t you just love the various expressions on my kids’ faces? Kind of sums up the year for me: happy, confused, delirious and tired. Guess you can assign who is who! 🙂

I plan to make this month a true BloGIVErsary. That is right: I have been working on lining up some great giveaways. While most bloggers manage to feature several prizes in a row, I have decided to space mine out a bit. Each Tuesday in July, I will be announcing what prize my readers are eligible to win! I am so excited – giving away prizes is so fun! Especially when you have such great sponsors! Later on today, I will announce my first one, so please stay tuned!

Writing about the Underground Railroad on this blog last week was so much easier. Partly because I want to stick my head in the sand and pretend that nothing so horrible as enslaving others is still going on today. While the shackled may no longer be working the cotton, many are still forced into a lifestyle that is NOT of their own choosing. This is even true in Nebraska. (Thanks, Jen, for forcing me to recognize this fact even though I still really want to pretend that it does not exist!)

This compelling article from NET tells a story that I do not really want to read. As the two game elimination series happens at the College World Series tonight, for me it is all about a great baseball game. For others, it is not. Big profile events perpetuate crime opportunities. Even small towns can still hide evil.

Image from Wikimedia Commons

On my Sacred Line blog this morning, I wrote a bit about my own personal reflections and what I hope to do about this issue. Being only one small voice, I now want to point out organizations that are working so hard in our community to stop the horrific spread of modern day slavery. How we can make the biggest impact is by coming alongside others who are already aware of exactly what is going on and are taking the stops to stop the injustice. (A big thank you to Colleen for letting me know of several more groups that are making a difference!)

I’ve Got a Name This is the best site to learn about how this issue is impacting the Nebraska area. They have resources to help you get informed and then ways that you can get involved in fighting this issue that does affect us here at home.

Love 146 While this organization is based out of Connecticut, I appreciate the work and education that they seem to be providing here and around the world. The below quote by their founder is the reason why I wrote this uncomfortable blog post and is why this issue is so important!

“Child trafficking isn’t just a cause full of mind-numbing stats. It’s about somebody’s son or daughter.” Rob Morris, Love 146 co-founder and president.

I must admit I am a rather big Jeopardy fan. Not very many shows have made my “follow” list, but that is one that I have watched almost daily for years. One category that they feature is “Common Bonds.” As for the pictures that I featured on yesterday’s “Wordless Wednesday,” they all had one thing in common: they are all 2014 “Nebraska Passport” stops. Many of them I have covered on my blog already. Several are yet to be shown, so for those I plan to keep you guessing.

Unfortunately I have not been to any of these places recently. My grandparents lived in Laurel, so I did grow up walking into their downtown. I am pretty sure that I have been to the Apothecary, but I think that it has drastically changed since then. Hopefully someday I will make it back!

Sips and Suds Tour

Not sure that we will make too many of these places since we do more of the family tour. But hey, Nebraska Passport has at least one place that will appeal to everyone! 🙂

(By the end of the Nebraska Passport 2014 season, which happens to be the end of September, every one of the ? mark places will be featured on this blog! I also will be featuring several of the places from Lincoln’s “Be a Tourist in Your Own Hometown” program as well!)

Have you picked up your copy of the 2014 Nebraska Passport yet? This year they have even added a downloadable app, so you can keep track of your places that way. Achieving prizes for the Nebraska Passport is a bit challenging. Since the ones I would really want are for 40 stamps and above, I am pretty sure that we will not be getting any. But, we will be enjoying the stops on the way. Some familiar and some that are new. All places to make memories as we travel across the nice state of Nebraska.

Many local area cemeteries will be having honorary events. Please check with your community to see what is happening near you! Know of any in particular? Please post them on the Odyssey Through Nebraska Facebook Page.

O beautiful for heroes proved In liberating strife. Who more than self their country loved And mercy more than life! America! America! May God thy gold refine Till all success be nobleness And every gain divine!

Somehow the Bard and (Ne)Braska just do not seem to go together very well. But there are some actors in the Good Life state that would like to change that. Since this week happens to be Shakespeare’s birthday, what a better time to find out more?

(Image from Wikimedia Commons)

I stumbled upon the Nebraska Shakespeare Company when I was flipping channels a few months back. NET Public Television featured this outstanding theater company as part of their “Nebraska Stories” program. If you have 10-15 minutes, the program is worth watching. I love how they are bringing Old English to Nebraska.

Since Wednesday is considered to be Shakespeare’s birthday – his 450th one to be precise- what a great day to throw a party! Celebrations will be happening across the “Globe” (:-) ), along with Talk Like Shakespeare Day. If you can attempt to sound like you are a Shakespearean actor, you may qualify for free food and prizes. I will post any places I come across on my Facebook page in the next day or two. There also happens to be a sonnet contest! Talk Like Shakespeare is a national site where you can find out even more.

“Parting is such sweet sorrow that I shall say goodnight till it be morrow.” (The Man Himself)

Tomorrow night is the premiere of yet another Nebraska Stories show on Nebraska Public Television (NET). This episode seems to be a packed one! I have to admit that due to a busy week, I have not been able to watch this edition yet. But I hope to watch tomorrow night at 9:00. (Well, basically tonight since it happens to be almost midnight 🙂 )Click here for a preview of all that you will be able to see Sunday night, including the return of our Nebraska Olympian, a topic I blogged about in February!

Air Dates: Premieres Sunday, April 6, at 9 p.m. CT on NET1. This episode of “Nebraska Stories” will repeat several times during April on NET1 including Tuesday, April 8, at 6 p.m. CT; Friday, April 11, at 7 p.m. CT; Tuesday, April 15, at 10:30 p.m. CT; Friday, April 18, at 7 p.m. CT; and Tuesday, April 22, at 11 p.m. CT. It will also air on NET2 World on Saturday, April12, at 1:30 p.m. CT and Sunday, April 13, at 5 p.m. CT.

This is another more personal post – I hope you enjoy reading my recollections.

Throughout junior high and high school, one of my favorite yearly memories was the Nebraska Boys State Basketball Tournament. Almost every year we had Friday off the week of state tournament. And often that 2nd Friday in March was a lovely day outside, just like today. I remember wearing shorts – something that was not a part of our private school dress code at the time.

The first year I distinctly remember the tournament was watching my school, Lincoln Christian, win for the first time in 1988, when I was in 8th grade. (I must confess I had to look at the NSAA record books to verify that was in fact the year). Being a part of the hype and the experience was such fun! I can even still tell you many of the players names. Now when we managed to win three extremely close games when I was a junior in high school in 1991, the week-end was almost unreal. These were my friends on the court, and I greatly enjoyed seeing them get the victory. For some odd reason, we had a high school teacher that let us listen to the state game tapes during class while we were working on papers. With headphones in our walkmans. (Yes, I think I must be old!)

I missed some of the following years of games due to being at college, but my brother informs me that Lincoln Christian played the eventual state champion almost every year consecutively for a long stretch. Unfortunately for our teams, most of the time they were on losing end. I do remember relishing seeing my brother play a part of the team for a few years – I had moved back and was actually teaching at Lincoln Christian his last two years of high school. I know I was in attendance in 1999 when L.C.S. won state again, and my brother made the long trek back from college in Indiana to see his former teammates win the C1 finals

The picture that I posted yesterday was from 2004. If you look closely, you can see that the medals were silver. The boys were runners-up that year. I know that I attended at least one of the games that year, probably with my 17 month old in tow. (He has been a basketball fan all of his life basically). This was the year that life transitioned. No longer was I watching friends – instead my former students were the ones storming the court.

As Lincoln Christian has made tournament appearances in recent years, we have enjoyed catching a game or two. I dragged all four kids to the 2nd round game three years ago. A cool high school from our church was on the team then, and the kids greatly enjoyed watching Eli play in person. While the names on the backs of the jerseys have changed, the experience has not. Catching a great game of hoops is always a great possibility during Nebraska Boys State Basketball Tournament time! While I do not know any of the teams this year, I am sure we will watch a bit of a game or two (or more) tomorrow. In fact, you can see the games on NET or watch the games live on NET. Go, teams!

P.S. A big thank you to Lincoln Christian Director of Admissions, Jill Baker, for finding the Lincoln Christian basketball pictures for me for the past two weeks. She was a BIG help. I am sure she would be glad to tell you more about Lincoln Christian. I can speak from experience as a former student and former teacher that the school is a great place to learn!